By Iduozee Paul, Benin
Political Party Representatives Signing the Peace Accord
Ahead of the September 19 governorship election, a university don, in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineer in Ambrose Ali University
(AAU), Prof. Robert Ehimen Okonigene, said there are chaos and violence in elections in Nigeria because the political gladiators encouraged such.
He made the assertion in Benin City, at an event organized by the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGOs) under the theme, “Stakeholders Peace Accord on the September 19th, 2020 Edo State Governorship Election”.
Prof. Ehimen said, the political gladiators are the ones arming their supporters because they are involved in the process of sponsoring the election. He said politics is not a dirty game but the people playing it make it dirty.
He stressed that politics is a game established by the Nigerian Constitution and all should play by the rule, noting that violence erupts in elections often as a result of the information the followers of various political candidates or leaders give out to their supporters, and according to what they hear on the social media.
In her speech, president of CONGs, Comrade Daisy Abiola, said the event became important due to the fear in the streets that security provision will not be guaranteed on the September 19, 2020, election day.
She said the governorship candidates are to sign the peace accord documents as that will help Edo people psychologically by generating the necessary assurance that the problem is recognized, and actions are being taken to curtail it.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Peace Solomon Alufokhai said idealing with the problem of election violence requires a holistic approach, noting that election violence has done Nigeria more harm than good. She advised the youth to embrace peace.
Representatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC), DSC Omijie Odijie and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), DSI Donald Iserameiya, both said the security agencies are ready for the election.
They said anyone found fomenting trouble during an election will be dealt with according to laid down law. According to the security representatives, they have been given a marching order to arrest anybody wanting to cause trouble in the state during the election.
The state director of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mrs. Ease Grace, advised all participating to observe all Covid-19 preventive measures during the election.
Some political parties like APC, APGA, ADC and others partook in the event except the PDP. At the end of the occasion they all signed the peace accord.